Marketing in the Auto Industry is Changing

Social Media is Changing the Way Automakers Market

Social media has changed the way automakers are reaching out to their customers and prospects.  Whether they like it or not, everyone has an on-line presence; and you can't always control it.

At the recent Automotive World Megatrends 2014 USA conference in Dearborn, MI, Google executive head of Automotive, Meredith Guerriero, shared her views on changes facing industry marketers and cited examples of how they have responded.

At the crux of her remarks, like it or not, digital is the new normal.

5 Things to know about automotive marketing trends from Google exec

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#AutoMarketing #ScituateCollision

Comedians In Cars Getting Coffee Series

Jerry Seinfeld with Howard Stern

Jerry Seinfeld and Howard Stern take a ride in this 1969 Pontiac GTO Judge and discuss their lives and careers.  Eventually they end up in the grocery store and guess the price of household items.

This episode is one of the more serious segments in the series.

View the video at:

Comedians in Cars - Jerry Seinfeld and Howard Stern

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Mercedes Looking To Jump to #1 US Luxury Brand in 2013

As the Year End Data Comes In, Mercedes Looks To Be On Top

In the hotly contest luxury brand market, it looks like Mercedes-Benz is going to be number 1 in the US for 2013.  Final 2013 data will be available in early January, but projections indicate Mercedes will beat out their chief rival, BMW.

Mercedes has the inside track for #1 US luxury brand in 2013

#Automotive #Mercedes #LuxuryCars

Luxury Automakers Are Going Green in 2014

Infinity, BMW, and Mercedes Going Strong with Hybrids

Luxury automakers are going strong into the green, hybrid market.  The 2014 BMW i8 gets an astounding 94 mpg and goes from 0-60 in less than 4.5 seconds.  The i8 also carries a price tag of over $135,000!

Read about the Infinity, BMW, and Mercedes hybrids coming in 2014.

2014 Luxury Hybrids

#Automotive #BMW #Infinity #Mercedes #Hybrids

Using Google+ to Connect with Customers

Toyota is using Google+ Hangouts interactively with customers

Google has been rolling out new tools for businesses as part of their Google Plus platform over the past couple of years.

One of those tools are Hangouts.  Hangouts let you connect with other users over video and share your screen.  Hangouts go far beyond video conferencing though.

Toyota has taken Hangouts to a new level and lets customers collaborate on customizing a car together, and can even bring in a Toyota representative to answer questions.  

#Automotive #Toyota #Google+ #Hangouts

Computer Driven Cars Will Transform the Travel Experience

Driverless Cars Are Coming

"By 2015, driverless cars will be in widespread operation, which could revolutionize individual mobility," HSBC said in recent report.

Big money is being invested in the "driverless car" technology, not only by manufacturers, but by technology providers as well.

We're already seeing the technology becoming commonplace with emergency brake systems, lane departure warnings, and radar regulated cruise control.  At the Frankfurt Car Show, Mercedes CEO Dieter Zetsche arrived on-stage in the back of his Mercedes and showed a video of the car being driven by computer over a 60 mile route through cities and the countryside.

Between driverless cars and Amazon delivering orders by drone, how far away are we from the Jetsons?

Computer Driven Cars Will Convulse the Auto Industry

#Automotive #DriverlessCars

Gas Prices Down for Thanksgiving

Good news for the 38 million people that will travel over 50 miles

For the more than 38 million people who will travel over 50 miles this Thanksgiving, the fact that gas prices are down to the lowest they have been since 2010 is welcome news.

Gas prices down to 2010 levels